How to plan a memorable work event

Most of us are pretty lucky in that the companies we work for love to get around team events on a regular basis. Whether it be the year's main Christmas event, or a more casual affair, planning a memorable work event is rarely straightforward.

If you have been assigned the all-important task of planning your next work event, there are a few key things to remember to ensure that everyone has a memorable time (for all the right reasons!).

Start planning now

While it still may feel like there is plenty of time between now and the date of your next work event, in reality the months separating the two a hole lot can happen if you don’t start planning early. Venues get booked out and tickets for events get sold out well in advance - so it pays to be on top of the planning process. Once you have determined things like numbers and budget, you need to move pretty quickly in order to secure your booking and not be left with a handful of dodgy options. Or worse, the office breakout area scattered with novelty decorations and paper cups.

The menu

Pretty much everyone will agree that the food is an essential part of a great work event. It’s guaranteed to be something people comment on, so make sure that they are raving about how delicious (not disagreeable) the catering was. Make sure that you have plenty of food for everyone, especially if the drinks are flowing! Also, check to see if any staff members are vegetarian or have food intolerances before you set the menu.

Think about the best option for the atmosphere you are going for; would a sit-down dinner or buffet-style arrangement be better for the team? If the venue is a restaurant it should be reasonably straight-forward to decide on a menu, although you are restricted by the style of food that they serve. Alternatively if you need to hire caterers there will be a few more options available, however it can get expensive once things like cutlery, glasses and serving staff are included.

Are you entertained

The budget is going to determine what your options are in terms of entertainment, but this is the night when a Spotify playlist or Steve in IT doing magic tricks isn’t going to cut it. The entertainment is what ties the work event together, and can really help to get people out of their shell (while distracting from any potentially awkward small talk). Choose something that suits your event and confirm exactly what is required well in advance as you don’t want to be trying to source a full sound system the day beforehand.

Work events are a great opportunity to really step it up and add those special touches that will have all of your team members reminiscing about the night. If you have been looking for a venue to host your next work event, HBF Stadium has a number of function rooms in Claremont that can accommodate your next event or function. Call the team on 9441 8222.